The present invention relates to blooming type hard surface cleaning and disinfecting compositions. More particularly the present invention relates to concentrated liquid cleaning and disinfecting compositions which are normally diluted in a larger volume of water to form a working solution therefrom, and which exhibit a blooming effect when diluted.
Blooming is a property exhibited by dilutable compositions such as known cleaning compositions, specifically pine-oil type cleaning compositions which contain a significant amount (generally at least about 5% and more) of pine oil. Certain other known-art formulations, such as LYSOL (RTM) (where xe2x80x9cRTMxe2x80x9d indicates a proprietary tradename, or trademark) disinfectant concentrate (Reckitt and Colman, Inc., Montvale N.J. also exhibit such a blooming property. Blooming may be characterized as formation of milky, creamy or cloudy appearance which is manifested when a dilutable composition is added to a larger volume or quantity of water. Such blooming is particularly desirable in compositions where the blooming characteristic in an aqueous dilution is long lasting.
Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide an aqueous concentrated liquid hard surface cleaning composition which blooms when added to a larger volume of water which comprises the following constituents:
an organic solvent constituent;
a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit,
preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
binary co-solvent system comprising an alkyl diphenyl solvent and at least
one co-solvent;
optionally, a further detersive surfactant constituent;
optionally but desirably at least one optional constituent selected from: chelating agents, coloring agent, light stabilizers, fragrances, thickening agents, hydrotropes, pH adjusting agents, pH buffers, as well as others known the art and useful in similar compositions. The one or more optional constituents are selected to be present, and are included in amounts which do not undesirably affect the overall blooming characteristics of the present inventive compositions.
In preferred embodiments the concentrate compositions provide excellent initial blooming characteristics in xe2x80x98as mixedxe2x80x99 dilutions with water, but also exhibit good retention of blooming characteristics over a longer time period, viz., days and weeks.
A further aspect of the invention is a concentrated liquid hard surface cleaning composition wherein the composition exhibits a blooming effect when diluted in a larger volume of water.
Desirably, the inventive compositions are essentially free of terpene solvents such as alpha-terpineols or d-Limonene which are characteristic of products such as so-called xe2x80x9cpine oilxe2x80x9d cleaning compositions which typically include such terpene solvents.
The inventive compositions include an organic solvent constituent. Many useful organic solvents may be used, as long as it does not undesirably disrupt the favorable characteristics of the invention, especially the blooming characteristic. Mixtures of two or more organic solvents may also be used as the organic solvent constituent.
Useful organic solvents are those which are at least partially water-miscible organic solvents such as alcohols, water-miscible ethers (e.g. diethylene glycol diethylether, diethylene glycol dimethylether, propylene glycol dimethylether), water-miscible glycol ethers (e.g. propylene glycol monomethylether, propylene glycol mono ethylether, propylene glycol monopropylether, propylene glycol monobutylether, ethylene glycol monobutylether, dipropylene glycol monomethylether, diethyleneglycol monobutylether), lower esters of monoalkylethers of ethylene glycols or propylene glycols (e.g. propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate) all commercially available from Union Carbide, Dow Chemicals or Hxc3x6chst. Mixtures of organic solvents can also be used.
Particularly useful organic solvents include glycols such as alkylene glycols such as propylene glycol, and glycol ethers. Examples of such glycol ethers include those having the general structure Raxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Rbxe2x80x94OH, wherein Ra is an alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl of at least 6 carbon atoms, and Rb is an alkylene of 1 to 8 carbons or is an ether or polyether containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms. Examples of such useful glycol ethers include propylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol isobutyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether, diethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenol ether, and mixtures thereof. Preferred are ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, and mixtures thereof. Such glycol ethers are presently commercially available from a number of sources including in the DOWANOL(trademark) glycol ether from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland Mich. (USA).
Further particularly useful organic solvents monohydric (straight chained or branched) primary, secondary or tertiary lower aliphatic alcohols, especially C1-C6 aliphatic primary and secondary alcohols, of which isopropanol is particularly preferred. The present inventors have found that inclusion of the organic solvent constituent in amounts of about 0.001% by weight to about 50% by weight have been found to be effective in providing effective cleaning, particularly when the compositions are dispersed into a larger volume of water, as well as in solubilizing other less water soluble constituents present in the concentrate compositions of the invention. Preferably, the organic solvent constituent is present in amounts of from 0.1-40% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.1-35% by weight.
Additionally the inventor has found the according to certain preferred embodiments the organic solvent constituent, comprises, and in certain especially preferred embodiments consist essentially of, both an alkylene glycol such as propylene glycol, and a monohydric lower aliphatic alcohol such as a C1-C6 aliphatic primary and secondary alcohol, especially isopropyl alcohol.
The inventive compositions also include a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
The compositions of the invention include a disinfecting effective amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties. Particularly useful quaternary ammonium compounds and salts thereof include quaternary ammonium germicides which may be characterized by the general structural formula: 
where at least one of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is a hydrophobic, aliphatic, aryl aliphatic or aliphatic aryl radical of from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and the entire cation portion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165. The hydrophobic radicals may be long-chain alkyl, long-chain alkoxy aryl, long-chain alkyl aryl, halogen-substituted long-chain alkyl aryl, long-chain alkyl phenoxy alkyl, aryl alkyl, etc. The remaining radicals on the nitrogen atoms other than the hydrophobic radicals are substituents of a hydrocarbon structure usually containing a total of no more than 12 carbon atoms. The radicals R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be straight chained or may be branched, but are preferably straight chained, and may include one or more amide or ester linkages. The radical X may be any salt-forming anionic radical.
Exemplary quaternary ammonium salts within the above description include the alkyl ammonium halides such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, alkyl aryl ammonium halides such as octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium bromide, N-alkyl pyridinium halides such as N-cetyl pyridinium bromide, and the like. Other suitable types of quaternary ammonium salts include those in which the molecule contains either amide or ester linkages such as octyl phenoxy ethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, N-(laurylcocoaminoformylmethyl)-pyridinium chloride, and the like. Other very effective types of quaternary ammonium compounds which are useful as germicides include those in which the hydrophobic radical is characterized by a substituted aromatic nucleus as in the case of lauryloxyphenyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, cetylaminophenyltrimethyl ammonium methosulfate, dodecylphenyltrimethyl ammonium methosulfate, dodecylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, chlorinated dodecylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, and the like.
Preferred quaternary ammonium compounds which act as germicides and which are found useful in the practice of the present invention include those which have the structural formula: 
wherein R2 and R3 are the same or different C8-C12alkyl, or R2 is C12-16alkyl, C8-18alkylethoxy, C8-18 alkylphenolethoxy and R3 is benzyl, and X is a halide, for example chloride, bromide or iodide, or X may be methosulfate, or a saccharide. The alkyl groups recited in R2 and R3 may be straight chained or branched, but are preferably substantially linear.
Particularly useful quaternary germicides include compositions which include a single quaternary, as well as mixtures of two or more different quaternaries. Particularly useful quaternary germicides include alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, including those based on dialkyl(C8-C10)dimethyl ammonium chlorides; as well as didecyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides, dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl ethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, myristyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, methyl dodecyl xylene-bis-trimethyl ammonium chlorides, benzethonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, including mixtures of one or more of the above. These materials are available as BARDAC (RTM), BARQUAT (RTM), BTC (RTM), LONZABAC (RTM), as well as other tradenames (ex. Stepan Co., or Lonza AG). These quaternary ammonium compounds are desirably present in the concentrate compositions in an amount of from about 0.001-5% wt., are desirably present in an amount of from 0.1-3% wt. and most desirably are present in an amount of from 0.5-3% wt. When diluted in a larger volume of water to form a cleaning and disinfecting composition, the quaternary ammonium compounds should be present in sufficient amount such that they are in a concentration of at least about 250 parts per million (p.p.m.), more desirably at least about 450 p.p.m. and most desirably at least about 600 p.p.m.
The inventive compositions further also include a binary co-solvent system comprising alkyl diphenyl solvent and a co-solvent which aids in the solubilization of the diphenyl solvent in an aqueous medium.
The alkyl diphenyl solvent is one which may be generally represented by the formula 
wherein:
R1 is hydrogen or is a lower alkyl radical, preferably a C1-C10, but more preferably is a C1-C6 straight chained or branched alkyl radical,
R2 is a lower alkyl radical, preferably a C1-C10, but more preferably is a C1-C6 straight chained or branched alkyl radical,
m is an integer from 1-3 inclusive; and,
n is an integer from 1-3 inclusive.
Preferably R1 is any one of the values indicated above, m is 1, and R2 has any of the values indicated above. More preferably, R1is a C1-C6 straight chained or branched alkyl radical and m is 1, and R2 is a C1-C6 straight chained or branched alkyl radical. It is to be understood that mixtures of the compounds indicated above may be used as the diphenyl solvent constituent.
Such alkyl diphenyls are, per se, known to the art, and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,181. Particularly useful as the alkyl diphenyl solvent are materials presently marketed as NUSOLV(RTM) ABP solvents available from Arristec, Inc. (Easton, Pa.) described to be a high purity alkyl diphenyls and mixtures thereof, and is also available from Koch Chemical Co. (Corpus Christi, Tex.) as SURESOL (RTM) solvents.
The alkyl diphenyl solvent may be present in the concentrate compositions in amounts of from about 0.001% by weight to up to about 20% by weight, preferably about 0.01-10% by weight, most preferably in amount of between 0.1-8% by weight.
The inventors have observed that the concentrated compositions of the invention are greatly improved with the addition of a co-solvent. This co-solvent aids in the solubilization of the alkyl diphenyl solvent in water is desirably an at least partially water-miscible monohychic primary alcohol, especially a water-miscible monohydric primary C8-C18 alcohol. Particularly effective are cetyl, lauryl and myristyl alcohols, especially lauryl alcohols. Mixtures of such solvents are also contemplated as being useful as the co-solvent. The inventors have found that the inclusion of such alcohols greatly aids in the dissolution of the alkyl diphenyl solvents in the concentrate compositions according to the invention being described herein, which aids in ensuring that clarity of the concentrate composition is maintained which is particularly desirable from a consumer standpoint.
The co-solvent may be present in the concentrate compositions in amounts of from about 0.001% by weight to up to about 5% by weight, preferably about 0.01-3% by weight, most preferably in amount of between 0.1-2% by weight.
Water is added in order to provide 100% by weight of the concentrate composition. Water is added in amounts which are sufficient to form the concentrated compositions which amount is sufficient to ensure the retention of a substantially clear characteristic when produced as a concentrate, but at the same time ensuring good blooming upon the addition of the concentrated composition to a further amount of water, or upon the addition of further water to the concentrate. The water may be tap water, but is preferably distilled and/or deionized water.
Other conventional additives known to the art but not expressly enumerated here may also be included in the compositions according to the invention. By way of non-limiting example without limitation these may include: chelating agents, coloring agents, light stabilizers, fragrances, thickening agents, hydrotropes, pH adjusting agents, pH buffers as well as one or more detersive surfactants which do not deleteriously detract from the blooming characteristics of the inventive compositions. Many of these materials are known to the art, per se, and are described in McCutcheon""s Detergents and Emulsifiers, North American Edition, 1982; Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Ed., Vol. 22, pp. 346-387, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. Mixtures of two or more such surface active agents may be incorporated into the inventive compositions. Such optional, i.e., non-essential constituents should be selected so to have little or no detrimental effect upon the desirable characteristics of the present invention, namely the blooming behavior, cleaning efficacy, hard surface cleaning activity, and low toxicity as provided by the inventive compositions. Generally the total weight of such further conventional additives may comprise up to 20% by weight of a concentrated composition formulation.
Exemplary useful buffers include the alkali metal phosphates, polyphospates, pyrophosphates, triphosphates, tetraphosphates, silicates, metasilicates, polysilicates, carbonates, hydroxides, and mixtures of the same. Certain salts, such as the alkaline earth phosphates, carbonates, hydroxides, can also function as buffers. It may also be suitable to use buffers such materials as aluminosilicates (zeolites), borates, aluminates and certain organic materials such as gluconates, succinates, maleates, and their alkali metal salts. Such buffers keep the pH ranges of the compositions of the present invention within acceptable limits.
When a fragrance is included in a concentrate composition being taught herein, the amount of such a fragrance is generally not in excess of 0.5% wt., but is preferably even less, i.e., to 0.20% wt, but generally even less, i.e., to 0.1 0% wt. It is contemplated that this fragrance constituent may include among its active agents terpene oils (alpha-terpenol, d-Limonene) which is included to provide a fragrance characteristic of a pine oil containing constituent. It is understood that such may be present in the inventive compositions as they may form part of the fragrance constituent forming part of a concentrate composition. However, it is noted that the inventive compositions will function and exhibit satisfactory blooming effect without such a fragrance constituent being present, i.e., if it is omitted. Compositions which include such fragrances are considered to be xe2x80x98essentially freexe2x80x99 of terpene solvents.
Exemplary useful pH adjusting agents include known materials such as inorganic acids,(e.g., hydrochloric), organic acids (e.g., citric, glycolic) or inorganic bases may be used to adjust the pH of the concentrate compositions to a desired range.
The inventive compositions further include optionally, but in certain embodiments, desirably, one or more further detersive surfactants. Useful detersive surfactants include anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants which are found to not undesirably detract from the blooming characteristics of the present invention.
The useful nonionic surfactants, include known art nonionic surfactant compounds. Practically any hydrophobic compound having a carboxy, hydroxy, amido, or amino group with a free hydrogen attached to the nitrogen can be condensed with ethylene oxide or with the polyhydration product thereof, polyethylene glycol, to form a water soluble nonionic surfactant compound. Further, the length of the polyethylenoxy hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements may various. Exemplary nonionic compounds include the polyoxyethylene ethers of alkyl aromatic hydroxy compounds, e.g., alkylated polyoxyethylene phenols, polyoxyethylene ethers of long chain aliphatic alcohols, the polyoxyethylene ethers of hydrophobic propylene oxide polymers, and the higher alkyl amine oxides. Exemplary preferred nonionic surfactants are ethoxylated higher aliphatic, primary alcohols presently commercially available under the trade name NEODOL (RTM) (ex., Shell Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.(USA)), which as well as the condensation products of a secondary aliphatic alcohols containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight or branched chain configuration condensed with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, including those presently commercially available under the trade name of TERGITOL (RTM) (ex, Union Carbide Co., Danbury, Conn.(USA)).
Other suitable nonionic surfactant compositions include the polyethylene oxide condensates of one mole of alkyl phenol containing from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight- or branched chain alkyl group with about 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, including those which are presently commercially available under the trade name of IGEPAL (RTM) (ex., Rhxc3x4ne-Poulenc, Princeton N.J.(USA)). Further useful nonionic surfactants include the water-soluble condensation products of a C8-C20 alkanol with a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide wherein the weight ratio or ethylene oxide to propylene oxide is from 2.5:1 to 4:1, preferably 2.89:1 to 3.3:1, with the total of the ethylene oxide; and propylene oxide (including the terminal ethanol or propanol group) being from 60-85%, preferably 70 to 80%, by weight. Such include those commercially available under the trade name of PLURAFAC (RTM) (ex., BASF Corp., Hackettstown, N.J. (USA)). Still further useful water-soluble nonionic surfactants include condensation products of a C8-C20 alkanols with a mixture of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide. Such are commercially available under the tradename POLYTERGENT (RTM) (ex., Olin Chemical Co., Stamford Conn.(USA)).
Further suitable water-soluble nonionic surfactants which may also be used include those which are marketed under the trade name PLURONIC (RTM) (ex., BASF Corp., Hackettstown, N.J. (USA)). These are formed by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol. Further useful nonionic surfactants include alkylmonoglyocosides and alkylpolyglycosides which are alkaline and electrolyte stable. Various glycoside and polyglycoside compounds including alkoxylated glycosides may be used. Examples of such alkylglycosides as described above include, for example, APG(trademark) 325 CS GLYCOSIDE which is described as being a 50% C9-C11 alkyl polyglycoside, also commonly referred to as D-glucopyranoside, (commercially available from Henkel Corp, Ambler Pa.) and GLUCOPON(RTM) 625 CS which is described as being a 50% C10-C16 alkyl polyglycoside, also commonly referred to as a D-glucopyranoside, (available from Henkel Corp., Ambler Pa.).
One class of particularly useful detersive surfactants are polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer. Polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymers include nonionic surfactants in which the major portion of the molecule is made up of block polymeric C2-C4 alkylene oxides. Such nonionic surfactants, while preferably built up from an alkylene oxide chain starting group, and can have as a starting nucleus almost any active hydrogen containing group including, without limitation, amides, phenols, thiols and secondary alcohols.
One group of such useful nonionic surfactants containing the characteristic alkylene oxide blocks are those which may be generally represented by the formula (A):
HOxe2x80x94(EO)x(PO)y(EO)zxe2x80x94Hxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(A)
where
EO represents ethylene oxide,
PO represents propylene oxide,
y equals at least 15,
(EO)x+z equals 20 to 50% of the total weight of said compounds, and, the total molecular weight is preferably in the range of about 2000 to 15,000.
Further exemplary useful nonionic surfactants which may be used include certain alkanolamides including monoethanolamides and diethanolamides, particularly fatty monoalkanolamides and fatty dialkanolamides. Commercially available monoethanol amides and diethanol amides include those marketed under the trade names ALKAMIDE (RTM) and CYCLOMIDE (RTM) by Rhxc3x4ne-Poulenc Co., (Cranbury, N.J.).
The nonionic surfactants, when present, can be present either singly, or as a mixture of two or more nonionic surfactant compounds as defined above.
The concentrate compositions may also include one or more amine oxide surfactant constituents. Such amine oxides frequently desirably improve the miscibility of the pine oil constituents in the aqueous phase of the concentrate compositions. Non-limiting examples of useful amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants include those according to the formulae: 
wherein R1 is hydrogen or is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl, or 3-alkoxy-2-hydroxypropyl radical where the alkyl and alkoxy parts contain from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are independently selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, or 3-hydroxypropyl, m is an integer from 2 to 4, and n is an integer from 0 to about 10. Preferably, the amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants are those according to the formula immediately preceding wherein R1 is an alkyl radical of from 12 to 16 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are independently selected from methyl or ethyl, m is 2, and n is 0. Specific examples of such useful amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants include cetyl-, myristyl- or lauryl-dimethyl amine oxide or mixtures thereof.
A further useful general class of useful amine oxides which may be included in the amine oxide constituent according to the invention are further alkyl di (lower alkyl) amine oxides in which the alkyl group has about 10-20, and preferably 12-16 carbon atoms, and can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated. The lower alkyl groups include between 1 and 7 carbon atoms. Examples include those described above, as well as those in which the alkyl group is a mixture of different amine oxides, dimethyl cocoamine oxides, dimethyl (hydrogenated tallow) amine oxides, and myristyl/palmityl dimethyl amine oxides.
A further class of useful amine oxides include alkyl di (hydroxy lower alkyl) amine oxides in which the alkyl group has about 10-20, and preferably 12-16 carbon atoms, and can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated. Examples are bis(2-hydroxyethyl) cocoamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) tallowamine oxide; and bis(2-hydroxyethyl) stearylamine oxide.
Further useful amine oxides include those which may be characterized as alkylamidopropyl di(lower alkyl) amine oxides in which the alkyl group has about 10-20, and preferably 12-16 carbon atoms, and can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated. Examples are cocoamidopropyl dimethyl amine oxide and tallowamidopropyl dimethyl amine oxide; and
Additional useful amine oxides include those which may be referred to as alkylmorpholine oxides in which the alkyl group has about 10-20, and preferably 12-16 carbon atoms, and can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated.
Exemplary amine oxide surfactant constituents include AO-728 (RTM)which is described to be a composition containing 50% wt. of bis-(2-hydroxyethyl C2-C15 alkyloxypropyl) amine oxide (ex. Tomah Products Inc., Milton Wis.), and AMMONYX(RTM) CDO Special described to be cocoamidopropyl dimethyl amine (Stepan Co., Northfield Ill.).
Exemplary anionic surfactants include compounds known to the art as useful as anionic surfactants. These include but are not limited to: alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, amine salts, aminoalcohol salts or the magnesium salts of one or more of the following compounds: alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkylamidoether sulfates, alkylaryl polyether sulfates, monoglyceride sulfates, alkylsulfonates, alkylamide sulfonates, alkylarylsulfonates, olefinsulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates, alkylamide sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkyl sulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, acyl sarcosinates, acyl isethionates, and N-acyl taurates. Generally, the alkyl or acyl radical in these various compounds comprise a carbon chain containing 12 to 20 carbon atoms.
Further exemplary anionic surface active agents which may be used include fatty acid salts, including salts of oleic, ricinoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids; copra oils or hydrogenated copra oil acid, and acyl lactylates whose acyl radical contains 8 to 20 carbon atoms.
Further exemplary and preferred anionic surface active agents include alkyl carboxylates, and especially alkyl ether carboxylates, particularly those having the general structural formula:
Rxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CnH2nO)mxe2x80x94R1xe2x80x94COOxe2x88x92M+
wherein R is a straight or branched, long chain, alkyl group containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, n is an integer from 2 to 4, m is an integer from 1 to 100, R1 is CH2, CH2CH2, or CH2CH2CH2, and M is a counterion such as an organic or inorganic cation including singly valent cations as well as polyvalent cations. Exemplary cations include cations of an alkali metal including sodium or lithium, or organic cations such as ammonium, diethylammonium, or triethylammonium cations, as well as other cations not particulary recited here. Such anionic alkyl ether carboxylates are known to be useful as surfactant compositions. In the compositions according to the instant invention, preferably n is 2, m is 4-11, R is C9-C16, R1 is CH2 and M is the cation of an alkali metal, preferably sodium. Such surfactants are presently commercially available under the trade name SANDOPAN (RTM) (Clariant Chemical Corp., Charlotte N.C.), NEODOX (RTM) 25-6 and NEODOX (RTM) 23-4 (Shell Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.), as well as SURFINE (RTM) WLG(Finetex Inc., Elmwood Park, N.J.).
Exemplary amphoteric surface active agents include, by way of non-limiting example, one or more further known art surfactant compositions, including betaines, ethylene oxide condensates, and fatty acid amides.
Exemplary useful betaine surfactants include those according to the general formula:
Rxe2x80x94N+(R1)2xe2x80x94R2Cxe2x88x92OO
wherein R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups containing from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl aryl and aryl alkyl groups containing a similar number of carbon atoms with a benzene ring being treated as equivalent to about 2 carbon atoms, and similar structures interrupted by amido or ether linkages; each R1 is an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and R2 is an alkylene group containing from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms.
Examples of preferred betaines are dodecyl dimethyl betaine, cetyl dimethyl betaine, dodecyl amidopropyldimethyl betaine, tetradecyldimethyl betaine, tetradecylamidopropyldimethyl betaine, and dodecyldimethylammonium hexanoate.
Useful fatty acid amides include those which are known to the art. Particular exemplary fatty acid amide surfactants include ammonia, monoethanol, and diethanol amides of fatty acids having an acyl moiety which contains from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and which may be represented in accordance with the formula:
R1xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(H)mxe2x88x921(R2OH)3xe2x88x92m
where R1 represents a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of from about 7 to 21 carbon atoms, but preferably from about 11 to 17 carbon atoms; R2 represents a xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94, and m is an integer from 1 to 3, but is preferably 1. Preferably, R1 is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical comprising from about 11 to 17 carbon atoms, and m is 1.
Further examples of such compounds include mono-ethanol amine coconut fatty acid amide and diethanol amine dodecyl fatty acid amide. An exemplary useful fatty acid amide includes cocomonoethanol amide or cocodiethanolamide, which are presently commercially available as MONAMID(RTM) CMA (Mona Industries, Paterson N.J. (USA)).
What is to be understood by the term xe2x80x9cconcentratexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cconcentrate compositionxe2x80x9d in this specification and claims is the pre-consumer dilution and composition of the cleaning composition which is the essentially the form of the product prepared for sale to the consumer or other, end user. Similarly, what is to be understood by the term xe2x80x9ccleaning compositionsxe2x80x9d are the water diluted compositions which are expected to be prepared by the consumer or other end user by mixing a measured amount of the xe2x80x9cconcentratexe2x80x9d with water in order to form an appropriately diluted cleaning composition which is suitable for use in cleaning applications, especially in the cleaning of hard surfaces.
It is also to be understood, that proportions of one or more constituents have been and generally are referred to as percent by weight or as parts by weight based on a measure of 100% by weight, unless otherwise indicated.
According to certain particularly preferred embodiments of the invention there are provided object of the invention to provide an aqueous concentrated liquid hard surface cleaning composition which blooms when added to a larger volume of water which comprises the following constituents:
0.1-35% wt. of an organic solvent constituent;
0.5-10% wt. of a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
0.2-10% wt. of a binary co-solvent system comprising an alkyl diphenyl solvent and a co-solvent;
0.1-10% wt. of at least one further detersive surfactant constituent;
0-20% wt. of at least one optional constituent selected from: chelating agents, coloring agent, light stabilizers, fragrances, thickening agents, hydrotropes, pH adjusting agents, pH buffers
Certain particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, as well as certain particularly preferred constituents and particularly preferred weight ranges are demonstrated in the Examples shown described on Table 1, below.
As generally denoted above, the formulations according to the invention include both cleaning compositions and concentrates as outlined above which differ only in the relative proportion of water to that of the other constituents forming such formulations. As noted, the concentrate may be used without dilution, i.e., in concentrate:water concentrations of 1:0, to extremely dilute dilutions such as 1:10,000. Desirably, the concentrate is diluted in the range of 1:0.1-1:1000, preferably in the range of 1:1-1:500 but most preferably in the range of 1:10-1:100. Generally better cleaning results are to be expected at lower relative dilutions of the concentrate in water.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, when a quantity of the concentrate compositions taught herein are added to a larger volume of water, a blooming characteristic is manifested. Such xe2x80x9cbloomingxe2x80x9d may be broadly characterized as the formation of milky, creamy or cloudy appearance which is manifested when a dilutable composition is added to a larger volume or quantity of water. Such xe2x80x9cbloomingxe2x80x9d may be alternately characterized as the reduction of transmitted light through an amount of water by at least 30%, desirably by at least 40%, yet more desirably by at least about 50%, and yet most desirably by at least 60% or more when a dilution of the concentrate composition:water with the weight or volume ratio range of from 1:64 to 1:102, especially at a 1:64 is formed. That such blooming may be attained without the use of pine oil fractions as is common in certain commercially available pine oil containing preparations is surprising.
Such dilution ratios of concentrate:water as described above may be volume/volume basis, or a weight/weight basis.
As has been noted, concentrate compositions according to preferred embodiments of the invention exhibit a long lasting blooming effect when they are diluted into a larger volume of water, especially when used to form (weight ratio) dilutions with water of concentrate:water of 1:64 at room temperature. Desirably, such dilutions do not exhibit an increase in light transmittance in accordance with the measurement methods discussed in the Examples below, of more than 50% (based on the initial xe2x80x98as mixedxe2x80x99 value) during its initial three-day interval.
The concentrate compositions according to the invention, and aqueous dilutions formed therefrom, are particularly useful in the cleaning of hard surfaces. Hard surfaces which are to be particularly denoted include those associated with Kitchen environments, lavatory environments, especially flooring surfaces and the surfaces of fixtures (doors, cabinets, shelving, and the like) in such environments.